PRESS RELEASE: New One-Stop-Shop for UK Small Business Net Zero Advice

Broadway Initiative • 13 August 2023

The Government’s Net Zero Council has announced the creation of a single platform for net zero advice for UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The website is an unprecedented collaboration between UK government, all major business organisations acting under the umbrella of the Broadway Initiative, and the SME Climate Hub.

 Lack of accessible support, tools, and guidance are major barriers often cited as preventing SMEs from beginning their journey to net zero. As part of the Net Zero Council’s commitment to support all UK SMEs with user-centred guidance, the new UK Business Climate Hub website creates one single, easy to find point of information that all net zero champions can signpost to their UK SME members and clients. The Net Zero Council is the Government’s collaboration with finance and business leaders spearheading the green transition.

 

The new UK Business Climate Hub website is the UK partner of the SME Climate Hub, the global initiative founded by the We Mean Business Coalition and the Exponential Roadmap Initiative that empowers SMEs to take climate action. The new platform was developed in partnership with the UK Government and a consortium of business groups, banks and other businesses working through the Broadway Initiative. The UK-specific content for the site was originally developed by experts on business decarbonisation and business associations brought together by the Broadway Initiative in response to a request by the Federation of Small Businesses. 

 

Broadway Initiative Convenor Ed Lockhart said: “UK Business Climate Hub provides a front door for advice for businesses on how to reduce carbon emissions and succeed on the journey to Net Zero. Through collaboration and partnership, we have created a widely accepted single point of information. Now we need to keep on improving the content and promote it widely so as many businesses as possible can benefit.” 

 

Pamela Jouven, Director of the SME Climate Hub said: “Bringing small and medium sized businesses on board to the fight against climate change is essential. However, to facilitate their action, corporations, government, and climate leaders must come together to provide the necessary support and resources for them to embark on their climate journey. By collaborating with the Broadway Initiative, the SME Climate Hub will continue to mobilize businesses in the UK to take climate action and expand the regional resources available for SMEs to build a more resilient future." 

 

Martin McTague, Chair, Federation of Small Businesses, said ““We are pleased to have contributed to the new Business Climate Hub that will provide businesses with trusted tools and information to help them navigate the net zero transition.

 

“SMEs recognise their role in net zero but many still find it challenging to access the relevant support and resources to play their part.  This new official platform for advice and support will really help.

 

“In addition to helping small firms become more energy and resource efficient, the hub also has the opportunity to empower small firms to take ambitious steps towards net zero, ultimately ensuring that they also benefit from the economic opportunities created in a net zero economy.”


NOTES TO EDITORS


  • Traffic from Broadway Initiative’s www.zerocarbonbusiness.uk and SME Climate Hub’s UK landing page www.smeclimatehub.org/uk and www.businessclimatehub.org/uk has been redirected to the Hub’s landing page at www.businessclimatehub.uk 
  • The Broadway Initiative is the coalition of UK trade associations working to 'mainstream' sustainability into the UK economy. Broadway works across the breadth of the business community to understand what is needed to achieve environmental and climate change objectives, then collaborates with UK governments on the frameworks required and develops plans and partnerships in the private sector to implement change.
  • For further enquiries, please contact liam@broadwayinitiative.org.uk or schebil@wmbcoalition.org. 
  • The SME Climate Hub is an initiative of the We Mean Business Coalition, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, and the United Nations Race to Zero campaign. In collaboration with Normative and the Net Zero team at Oxford University, the SME Climate Hub provides tools and resources to enable SMEs to make a climate commitment, take action and measure their progress towards emissions reductions. This partnership allows SMEs to join the United Nations Race to Zero campaign — an international campaign that brings together an unprecedented coalition of real economy actors and 120 governments committed to achieve net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. 

Broadway Initiative Welcomes the Relaunched Net Zero Council

by Broadway Initiative • 17 February 2025
The Broadway Initiative was delighted to attend the first meeting of the relaunched Net Zero Council (NZC), the central forum where Ministers, the financial community, and leaders from business and civil society can coordinate the business transition to net zero. Broadway worked hard to secure the future of the NZC, and now jointly provides the secretariat, ensuring our members are connected to the heart of the Council's activities. The Net Zero Council has a renewed emphasis on offering expert insights to shape government policies on net zero. It is dedicated to supporting the creation and implementation of sector-specific roadmaps, equipping businesses with transition planning tools, and enabling investors to identify key opportunities. Commenting on the relaunch of the Net Zero Council, Broadway Initiative Convenor Ed Lockhart said: "UK businesses need certainty, including on the transition to a clean energy future, to invest, grow, and ultimately improve living standards. By launching the Net Zero Council aligned to the clean energy mission, the government is providing a much-needed platform for the business community, financial institutions, civil society, and government to work in partnership on a shared and inclusive long-term plan. The Broadway Initiative looks forward to bringing business and environmental organisations together to make the most of this opportunity." As the Net Zero Council moves forward, Broadway remains committed to facilitating meaningful engagement between policymakers and business leaders. We will continue to advocate for the practical measures and regulatory clarity needed to accelerate the UK’s transition to a net zero economy. Read the Government's Press Release: Net Zero Council relaunched to supercharge Clean Energy Superpower Mission Read more about the Net Zero Council

Nature Markets Dialogue Workshop

by Broadway Initiative • 10 February 2025
On the 6th February the Nature Markets Dialogue (NMD) hosted the first workshop of 2025. Professionals drawn from across the demand, supply and operational sides of nature markets met to continue the discussion of the critical need for robust governance. The workshop built on 12 months of effort to convene a consensus around the future for nature market development, rooted in the belief that by working together we can reach the best possible outcome. Government is engaged and listening, at a crucial moment for environmental policy development, so we were delighted so many knowledgeable individuals joined us to pool their experience and expertise. The session was characterised by both a realism that these issues have been under discussion for some time and there has been some disappointment along the way, and by a strong sense of optimism that we will eventually secure market integrity in the UK. Perhaps inspired by the ideas in the NMD Governance Paper or by the healthy turnout of professionals prepared to collaborate, 61% of attendees counted themselves as positive that our goals will be achieved. The purpose of the event was to workshop answers to the NMD Governance Consultation , which remains open to everyone until the 28th February. From the 15 questions, six were identified as being of particular interest via a pre-meeting poll. Those six were subject to rigorous discussion in smaller breakout groups, as the attendees helped shape and form each other’s responses. The true outcome of this process will be recorded in the responses to the consultation itself , but the workshop highlighted some key themes that are sure to come out in the conclusions: The need for government leadership and action The need to learn from existing good practice at home and abroad The vital importance of the government’s new Land Use Framework consultation A clear focus on nature recovery at all times The significance of data platforms and emerging technologies The results of this consultation will build towards a governance framework that the NMD will propose to government at a future Ministerial roundtable. Everyone at the Broadway Initiative is extremely grateful to all participants, and to Bruce Howard from the Ecosystems Knowledge Network who so ably facilitated the workshop.

Consultation on a governance framework for high-integrity nature markets

by Broadway Initiative • 23 December 2024
At a time of significant change in UK environmental policy making, the Broadway Initiative's ' Nature Markets Dialogue ' (NMD) is seeking your views on how investment in nature is governed. Your responses will help shape our approach to Government, as we plan to propose a governance framework for high integrity nature markets. To that end, you are invited to share feedback on the latest consultation paper: Towards a governance framework for high integrity nature markets. The consultation paper has been informed by the feedback, roundtables and online workshops that NMD participants have supported over the past 12 months. A key message from the Dialogue to date is that well-designed and governed nature markets are first and foremost about providing an efficient mechanism for the delivery of verified improvements to the natural environment. Nature markets can deliver improvements to meet voluntary or regulated obligations, provide insets for supply chains and offsetting for development, and efficiently deliver government investment in nature. This is a vital moment for environmental policy development: the Environmental Improvement Plan is under review and revision; the Cunliffe Commission and the Planning Reform Working Paper on Development and Nature Recovery are seeking evidence; and we expect the Government will soon consult on the governance of Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets. We have a unique opportunity to highlight the need for a robust UK governance mechanism that ensures UK nature markets are high integrity and make a significant contribution to nature’s recovery. We have created an online portal to obtain your feedback and views here, where we have 15 specific questions on which we would value your thoughts . In addition, we will be hosting a series of workshops in the coming weeks to progress the Dialogue around the issues raised in the paper. The process will culminate in a roundtable to present the results and recommendations to Ministers. Find out more about the UK Nature Markets Dialogue .
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